pill

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

pill, n. [Cf. Peel skin, or Pillion.].

 The peel or skin.  Holland.  [1913 Webster]

pill, v. i. 

 To be peeled; to peel off in flakes.  [1913 Webster]

pill, v. t. [Cf. L. pilare to deprive of hair, and E. pill, n. (above).].

•  To deprive of hair; to make bald.  [1913 Webster]
•  To peel; to make by removing the skin.  [1913 Webster]

  "[Jacob] pilled white streaks . . . in the rods."  [1913 Webster]

pill, v. t. & i. [F. piller, L. pilare; cf. It. pigliare to take. Cf. Peel to plunder.].

 To rob; to plunder; to pillage; to peel. See Peel, to plunder.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
"Pillers and robbers were come in to the field to pill and to rob."  [1913 Webster]

pill, n. [F. pilute, L. pilula a pill, little ball, dim. of L. pila a ball. Cf. Piles.].

•  A medicine in the form of a little ball, or small round mass, to be swallowed whole.  [1913 Webster]
•  Figuratively, something offensive or nauseous which must be accepted or endured.  Udall.  [1913 Webster]

Pill beetle (Zoöl.), any small beetle of the genus Byrrhus, having a rounded body, with the head concealed beneath the thorax. -- Pill bug (Zoöl.), any terrestrial isopod of the genus Armadillo, having the habit of rolling itself into a ball when disturbed. Called also pill wood louse.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pill, n.
1 a solid medicine formed into a ball or a flat disc for swallowing whole. b (usu. prec. by the) colloq. a contraceptive pill.
2 an unpleasant or painful necessity; a humiliation (a bitter pill; must swallow the pill).
3 colloq. or joc. a ball, e.g. a football, a cannon-ball.

Idiom

sugar (or sweeten) the pill make an unpleasant necessity acceptable.

Etymology

MDu., MLG pille prob. f. L pilula dimin. of pila ball

THESAURUS

pill

IUD, SOB, bag, bastard, birth control device, bolus, bore, bugger, butt, buttonholer, capsule, condom, contraceptive, contraceptive foam, cough drop, crank, crashing bore, creep, cure, diaphragm, drag, drip, drug, dryasdust, dusty, fag, fart, flat tire, frightful bore, headache, heel, hood, hooligan, humdrum, intrauterine device, jerk, louse, lozenge, meanie, medicament, medication, medicine, mother, nuisance, oral contraceptive, pastille, pellet, pessary, pest, pharmaceutical, prophylactic, proser, rat, remedy, rubber, shit, shithead, shitheel, skin, smoke, spermicidal jelly, spermicide, stinkard, stinker, tablet, the pill, troche, turd, twaddler, wet blanket

ROGET THESAURUS

pill

Remedy

N remedy, help, cure, redress, medicine, medicament, diagnosis, medical examination, medical treatment, surgery, preventive medicine, clinical thermometer, stethoscope, X-ray machine, anthelmintic, antidote, antifebrile, antipoison, counterpoison, antitoxin, antispasmodic, bracer, faith cure, placebo, helminthagogue, lithagogue, pick-meup, stimulant, tonic, vermifuge, prophylactic, corrective, restorative, sedative, palliative, febrifuge, alterant, alterative, specific, antiseptic, emetic, analgesic, pain-killer, antitussive, antiinflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, carminative, Nepenthe, Mithridate, cure, treatment, regimen, radical cure, perfect cure, certain cure, sovereign remedy, examination, diagnosis, diagnostics, analysis, urinalysis, biopsy, radiology, medicine, physic, Galenicals, simples, drug, pharmaceutical, prescription, potion, draught, dose, pill, bolus, injection, infusion, drip, suppository, electuary, linctus, lincture, medicament, pharmacon, nostrum, receipt, recipe, prescription, catholicon, panacea, elixir, elixir vitae, philosopher's stone, balm, balsam, cordial, theriac, ptisan, agueweed, arnica, benzoin, bitartrate of potash, boneset, calomel, catnip, cinchona, cream of tartar, Epsom salts, feverroot, feverwort, friar's balsam, Indian sage, ipecac, ipecacuanha, jonquil, mercurous chloride, Peruvian bark, quinine, quinquina, sassafras, yarrow, salve, ointment, cerate, oil, lenitive, lotion, cosmetic, plaster, epithem, embrocation, liniment, cataplasm, sinapism, arquebusade, traumatic, vulnerary, pepastic, poultice, collyrium, depilatory, emplastrum, eyewater, vesicant, vesicatory, compress, pledget, bandage, treatment, medical treatment, regimen, dietary, dietetics, vis medicatrix, vis medicatrix naturae, medecine expectante, bloodletting, bleeding, venesection, phlebotomy, cupping, sanguisae, leeches, operation, surgical operation, transfusion, infusion, intravenous infusion, catheter, feeding tube, prevention, preventative medicine, immunization, inoculation, vaccination, vaccine, shot, booster, gamma globulin, pharmacy, pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacopoeia, formulary, acology, Materia Medica, therapeutics, posology, homeopathy, allopathy, heteropathy, osteopathy, hydropathy, cold water cure, dietetics, surgery, chirurgery, chirurgy, healing art, leechcraft, orthopedics, orthopedy, orthopraxy, pediatrics, dentistry, midwifery, obstetrics, gynecology, tocology, sarcology, hospital, infirmary, pesthouse, lazarhouse, lazaretto, lock hospital, maison de sante, ambulance, dispensary, dispensatory, drug store, pharmacy, apothecary, druggist, chemist, Hotel des Invalides, sanatorium, spa, pump room, well, hospice, Red Cross, doctor, physician, surgeon, medical practitioner, general practitioner, specialist, medical attendant, apothecary, druggist, leech, osteopath, osteopathist, optometrist, ophthalmologist, internist, oncologist, gastroenterologist, epidemiologist, public health specialist, dermatologist, podiatrist, witch doctor, shaman, faith healer, quack, exorcist, Aesculapius, Hippocrates, Galen, accoucheur, accoucheuse, midwife, oculist, aurist, operator, nurse, registered nurse, practical nurse, monthly nurse, sister, nurse's aide, candystriper, dresser, bonesetter, pharmaceutist, pharmacist, druggist, chemist, pharmacopolist, remedial, restorative, corrective, palliative, healing, sanatory, sanative, prophylactic, preventative, immunizing, salutiferous, medical, medicinal, therapeutic, chirurgical, epulotic, paregoric, tonic, corroborant, analeptic, balsamic, anodyne, hypnotic, neurotic, narcotic, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, emollient, depuratory, detersive, detergent, abstersive, disinfectant, febrifugal, alterative, traumatic, vulnerary, allopathic, heteropathic, homeopathic, hydropathic, anthelmintic, antifebrile, antiluetic, aperient, chalybeate, deobstruent, depurative, laxative, roborant, dietetic, alimentary, nutritious, nutritive, peptic, alexipharmic, alexiteric, remediable, curable, aux grands maux les grands remedes, Dios que da la llaga da la medicina, para todo hay remedio sino para la muerte, temporis ars medicina fere est, the remedy is worse than the disease, throw physic to the dogs, I'll none of it.

Weariness

N weariness, defatigation, lassitude, drowsiness, disgust, nausea, loathing, sickness, satiety, taedium vitae, boredom, ennui, wearisomeness, tediousness, dull work, tedium, monotony, twice-told tale, bore, buttonholer, proser, wet blanket, pill, stiff, heavy hours, the enemy (time), wearying, wearing, wearisome, tiresome, irksome, uninteresting, stupid, bald, devoid of interest, dry, monotonous, dull, arid, tedious, humdrum, mortal, flat, prosy, prosing, slow, soporific, somniferous, disgusting, unenjoyed, weary, tired, drowsy, uninterested, flagging, used up, worn out, blase, life-weary, weary of life, sick of, wearily, usque ad nauseam, time hanging heavily on one's hands, toujours perdrix, crambe repetita.

Rotundity

N rotundity, roundness, cylindricity, sphericity, spheroidity, globosity, cylinder, cylindroid, cylindrical, barrel, drum, roll, roller, rouleau, column, rolling-pin, rundle, cone, conoid, pear shape, egg shape, bell shape, sphere, globe, ball, boulder, bowlder, spheroid, ellipsoid, oblong spheroid, oblate spheroid, prolate spheroid, drop, spherule, globule, vesicle, bulb, bullet, pellet, pelote, clew, pill, marble, pea, knob, pommel, horn, knot (convolution), curved surface, hypersphere, hyperdimensional surface, rotund, round, cylindric, cylindrical, cylindroid, columnar, lumbriciform, conic, conical, spherical, spheroidal, globular, globated, globous, globose, egg shaped, bell shaped, pear shaped, ovoid, oviform, gibbous, rixiform, campaniform, campanulate, campaniliform, fungiform, bead-like, moniliform, pyriform, bulbous, tres atque rotundus, round as an orange, round as an apple, round as a ball, round as a billiard ball, round as a cannon ball.